Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
Which operator in Switzerland offers its customers the best mobile network? How do the main providers stack up when it comes to mobile signal, data connectivity, and customer service? The annual mobile network test, conducted by German magazine Connect, has the answers.
The annual mobile network test by Connect is a ranking of the largest mobile operators in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. It looks at how comprehensive and reliable each mobile operator’s services are.
To find out which operator offers the best mobile network, the magazine tested three key areas: voice calling, data connectivity and speed, and customer experience. The data was collected by equipping vehicles with nine smartphones, which were then driven through 24 large Swiss cities, and a further 17 small cities, to put the networks through their paces.
At the same time, Connect conducted a “walk test” to carry out measurements on foot in areas with high levels of public traffic, like train stations, airports, cafes, public transport and museums.
While all three of the Swiss mobile operators included in the ranking scored highly, gaining an overall mark of “outstanding”, Swisscom came out on top, retaining the title for the best mobile network in Switzerland for the seventh year in a row.
Sunrise followed closely behind, and Salt - Switzerland’s smallest mobile network - came in a respectable third place. Swisscom actually lost four points compared to last year’s ranking, while Sunrise improved its performance by five points.
On data connectivity - which was tested by connecting to popular internet pages on the test phones, downloading and uploading files, and measuring video quality on sites like YouTube - Swisscom and Sunrise achieved joint first place (469 points out of a possible 480), with Salt coming closely behind with a score of 459.
To test for mobile signal, Connect set up calls between their test teams and measured success rates, connection times, and voice quality. In this category, Sunrise came out on top with a score of 269, beating Swisscom by just one point. Salt brought up the rear with a respectable score of 259 out of a possible 270.
Finally, the ranking looked at user experience to rank the operators, measuring actual user download rates and latencies. Again, Swisscom was the winner with a score of 240 out of 250. Sunrise and Salt followed, separated by just one point with scores of 235 and 234, respectively.